LA-based MGA Entertainment has appointed Nelvana Enterprises to serve as its licensing agent in Canada, providing regional consumer products, marketing and retail support (excluding toys) for brands including L.O.L. Surprise!, Bratz, Rainbow High, Little Tikes and Miniverse.
These MGA franchises have already built up strong sales and engagement, buoyed by a dual appeal to kids and kidults. For example, Rainbow High was 2023’s top-selling fashion doll in the US, as per Circana—and its same-name CG-animated series on YouTube has generated a billion minutes of watchtime to date. Meanwhile, L.O.L Surprise’s Roblox games have been played more than 180 million times, and Bratz has 2.6 billion followers across all social media.
In an effort to boost sales, MGA established a DTC website last month to expand its distribution footprint beyond major retailers. The online hub—known as The MGA Shop—offers early-access deals, exclusive merch and special discounts.
For its part, Nelvana has been significantly ramping up its third-party licensing business lately. This new deal comes on the heels of the Toronto-based company announcing a similar agreement last week to rep the licensing interests of Thunderbird Brands’ upcoming 2D-animated series Mermicorno: Starfall in Canada.